The Trump administration’s attempt to halt construction on a multibillion-dollar wind farm off New York’s coast has been blocked by a federal judge, marking the fifth legal defeat in their broader effort to curtail offshore wind development. Judge Royce Lamberth of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a preliminary injunction Monday, allowing construction to resume on the Sunrise Wind project while legal challenges continue.
The Administration’s Claims and the Court’s Response
In December, the Interior Department ordered a complete work stoppage on Sunrise Wind and four other East Coast wind farms, citing a classified Defense Department report that allegedly identified the projects as a national security risk. However, Judge Lamberth – a Reagan appointee – was not convinced after reviewing the classified material. He stated the Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s decision had caused “irreparable harm” to the Sunrise Wind developer, and that the government’s justification lacked sufficient explanation.
“Purportedly new classified information does not constitute a sufficient explanation for the bureau’s decision to entirely stop work on the Sunrise Wind project,” Judge Lamberth ruled from the bench following a two-hour hearing.
A Pattern of Rejections
This ruling is the latest in a series of defeats for the administration. Over the past three weeks, federal judges have rejected their attempts to stop all five wind farms under construction in federal waters along the East Coast. The consistency of these rulings suggests a strong legal basis against the administration’s actions.
The repeated failures raise questions about the validity of the national security concerns cited by the Interior Department. It’s unclear whether the administration will continue pursuing these legal challenges, given the current track record.
These rulings are a significant setback for the Trump administration’s efforts to obstruct the growth of offshore wind energy, and reinforce the courts’ resistance to unsubstantiated claims of national security risks.
